Ghost Writer Reviews Moon Shifter. Thanks so much, Chrystal!

Sydney Carlisle was on the run and sick of it after more than a year. Betrayed by the man she thought she knew and loved, she fled to save her life, only to find that he’d turned her into something that wasn’t always human.

Grayson Quinn had chased Sydney for far longer than he thought he would have to, and now he’d found her… and intends to settle things once and for all before it’s too late.

This book was great. I thought the words flowed smoothly and the storyline kept me wanting to read it. I only wish it was longer!

Reviewer: Chrystal

Genre: werewolf/paranormal/romance

Publisher : The Wild Rose Press

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With editing, cropping and using all the creative artistic tools my Photoshop program has to offer, I’ve finally finished the header for the website.  Yeah!

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Thank you, Celia for being a lovely guest and for offering Texas Blue to one lucky contestant.

Also a special thanks to everyone who came by to say howdy. Without you, we’d be all alone with the cowboys! Truly, they’re grand to look at, but chatting is so much more fun. lol

Now for what you’ve all been waitng for. The winner of Celia’s contest is…drum roll please…Elaine Cantrell.

Congratulations!

Take care,
Karen

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At KMN Books Blogspot: Let’s Welcome the author of Texas Blue, Celia Yeary!

Howdy!!! Celia Yeary is the author of Texas Blue, a western historical sure to make you want to dust off your cowboy hat and don your cowboy boots.

Let’s give her a warm welcome.

***Contest: She’s giving away one PDF copy of Texas Blue to one lucky winner who leaves a comment or asks a question. Sorry, the cowboy is not included.

To be eligible for the contest, leave all comments and questions at: http://kmnbooks. blogspot. com/

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Book Wenches

Title:  Shattered Illusions
Author:  Karen M. Nutt
Author’s website: www.kmnbooks.com
Publisher:  Tease Publishing LLC
Release Date:  July 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60767-058-2
Length:  Short
Format:  Electronic
Genre:  Paranormal Romance
Source: R
Sensuality Level: 1
Rating: 4.25

Reviewed by: BD Whitney

Cold and wet after having been caught in a thunderstorm during her usual walk along the cliffs, Brona returns to her home to find her sister missing and evidence that someone has intruded inside. Convinced something terrible has happened, she creeps through the house until she hears voices. It is with relief that she notices that the voices are those of her beloved husband, who must be home early from his business trip, and her sister Tara.

Brona’s joy in welcoming Liam home is shattered, however, when she witnesses her husband kiss her sister. But even as she suffers an agony of betrayal, Brona realizes that something is not quite right. Why does Liam wear such an expression of grief? Why can neither of them see her when she is standing right next to them, and why can she not shake the feeling that there is still an intruder in the house?

********

Karen M. Nutt’s Shattered Illusions might be short, but it packs quite an impact into these few pages. This somewhat eerie story of love, loss, and realization combines mystery and the paranormal as a woman finds out that her life is not quite what she had believed it to be.

I found this story to be a pretty compelling read. It swept me along with Brona as she cycles through fear, joy, betrayal, and ultimately acceptance and peace. Her adoration for her husband shines through the narrative, making it a very poignant love story. Even when she feels angry and betrayed, Brona can’t deny her feelings, and when she finally acknowledges the truth of the situation, her devotion to her husband leads her to realize what she must do to bring him peace.

The setting for Shattered Illusions is perfect for a ghost story. Ms. Nutt sets the stage carefully: a stormy windswept night along Irish cliffs, lightning and thunder, darkness and silence within the house, accompanied with the unsettling feeling that one is not alone. It is chilling enough to raise the hair on the back of your neck.

While the moment of truth is not entirely a surprise, Ms. Nutt does a good job leading up to it. She builds the tension gradually until it comes to a head in the shattering of Rona’s beloved mirror. And while that image may be a little heavy-handed, it is a very effective tool for delivering the climax.

If you’re in the mood for a bit of a chill as well as a love story, you could do worse than reach for Shattered Illusions. I’m glad read it, and I’ll probably be seeking out more of Ms. Nutt’s stories in the future.

–Bobby

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RT Reviews

Book Review

SECOND TIME AROUND by Various Authors Genre: Paranormal Romance, Anthology, Paranormal/Urban Fantasy RT Rating A wonderful romp. These authors hit the nail on the head in their forays into the mysterious realms where people go bump in the night. This anthology has four pure gems and two well-done tales. Karen Michelle Nutt enthralls with a married couple who must complete a paranormal investigation aboard The Queen Mary in “The Spirit of Love.” Erin E.M. Hatton introduces Tess, a nursing home worker who inherits a house with “The Garden Swing” — a magic swing that allows her to travel through time. Gerri Bowen’s “Only and Always You” has an ice-cold Regency viscount melting when a lady from his past reappears. Cynthia Breeding’s divorcée heroine deals with her ex in “Winds of Destiny”; she needs to close a real estate deal, and he needs a shot at redemption. In Kirsten Scott’s “Lizzie’s Laces,” the captain reappears to take Lizzie across the ocean to her sick father, and romance blooms again. Kimberly Ivey Wuttke’s humorous “Special of the Day” has grudge-holding college sweethearts running competing restaurants. (HIGHLAND PRESS, Oct. 2009, 208 pp., $9.49) Reviewed By: Amy Lignor Publisher: HIGHLAND PRESS Published: October 2009

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Monday, June 21, 2010 At KMN Books Blogspot: Denise Jeffries

Drama, Secrets and Suspense, Denise Jeffries is the author of tantalizing romances that keep you coming back for more. She talks about her characters, Samantha and Elijah in her new book Masquerade! And that’s not all—Did you ever want to know what your name means to other people? Psst…Denise’s favorite research book has all the answers and she’s willing to reveal the title. Let’s give her a warm welcome.

***Contest: Denise will be giving away free books and goodies throughout the day. Anyone who leaves a comment or asks her a question will be eligible to win. Don’t forget to leave your email information.

*Note–Please Leave all comments and questions at: http://kmnbooks.blogspot.com/

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Paranormal Reviews
“Fantastic collection of stories of love, the second time around”

This is a collection of stories of love, the second time around. There are six stories included in the anthology. I will comment briefly on all of them.

WINDS OF DESTINY: Katherine Armand’s marriage is over, which wasn’t something she planned. But with her divorce comes the opportunity to pay more attention to her career as a paralegal and top negotiator for a law firm. A major developer is considering building a resort in Katherine’s sleepy seaside town and is eager to buy a large patch of land. But the man the developer sends to broker the deal is the one person Katherine least expects—Michael Whitfield, the man who broke her heart fifteen years ago.

This story was one of reconnection, and rekindling a love that still burned, even if it was somewhat buried away on Katherine’s part. It’s made clear from the very beginning that she is still attracted to him, and that Michael never stopped loving her. I thought that the two main characters were believable and that Katherine fought a very believable conflict: should she allow herself to become vulnerable and love Michael again, or should she just walk away? I really enjoyed this story.

LIZZIE’S LACES: Lizzie Rawlston left her home in Boston for Liverpool, determined to start a new life in England with her aunt. She was also determined to forget all about Captain Tony Sinclair, the ship’s captain she’d fallen in love with. Unfortunately, he made it clear that he was married to the sea, and didn’t want a wife tying him to down. But now, two years later, Tony appears in Liverpool to bring Lizzie home, as her father is dying and he wants to see her one more time.

This historical mostly takes place on Tony’s ship. I like historicals, and this story did not disappoint. As it’s a shorter story, it has to move faster than a full-length novel, and I think the pacing was well-done. I enjoyed this story as well.

SPIRIT OF LOVE: After a tragic accident devastates Brynna and Travis’s marriage, they drift apart. But as paranormal investigators, they must complete one more assignment together, on The Queen Mary during Yule, the most haunted time in the Celtic calendar. It is believed that during Yule, anam cara (soul friends) can visit. Will they be able to reconnect and heal the rift between them?

This was one of my favourite stories in the anthology. There was something about the setting, and the concept of anam cara that appealed to me. Travis and Brynna’s backstory—the accident that tore them apart—is touching and devastating at the same time, and I can understand why an accident like that would have torn them apart. There was a twist in the story that I was able to figure out, but the story didn’t end there. Instead, there was another twist that allowed for a happy and positive ending. I thought that both plot twists added to the depth of the story. I thought this was a fantastic read.

THE GARDEN SWING: Tess Murphy inherits an old house from an elderly patient named Emmeline. The house is in a dilapidated state and may be more trouble for Tess. When she tries out the garden swing that features prominently in one of Emmeline’s stories, she is sent back in time, back to when the house is new and meets the handsome owner, Hugh MacAllister. Tess is presented with a dilemma: return to the future and ignore history, or stay in the past and become a part of it.

I’m usually wary of time travel stories, but I enjoyed this one. However, from Emmeline’s stories, I knew the ending would be bittersweet. I’d hoped that there would be another explanation for the ending as told in Emmeline’s stories, but unfortunately there wasn’t. Regardless, it was a touching love story, especially since Tess embraces her future, even though she knows what will happen to her.

ONLY AND ALWAYS YOU: Ten years ago, Viscount Seton and Lady Claire broke each other’s hearts. Shortly after, Lady Claire married another man and left England. Now she’s back, and they discover that they both still have feelings for each other. But will they be able to move past the hurt, betrayal and outside sabotage to rekindle their love?

I liked this story, but it seemed a bit too brief for me to truly get to know the characters, which was unfortunate as they were both interesting characters and I wanted to get to know them a bit more. My favourite scene in the story is Lady Claire’s showdown with Viscount Seton’s mother. It showed Lady Claire’s feistiness, but also her ability to stand up for herself.

SPECIAL OF THE DAY: Sunny Day, former model and soap opera star, has opened a vegan restaurant next to Nick Delatorre’s diner. Sunny’s restaurant is taking away the diner’s customers, and Nick wants them back. The problem is that Sunny is Nick’s ex-girlfriend from college, and he still has feelings for her.

This is my other favourite story in the anthology. It is more light-hearted than the others, and I loved reading about the sniping between Nick and Sunny. They’re both still clearly attracted to each other and are hiding the fact that there is something there. As a result, they seem to be channelling that attraction into antagonism, which leads to some witty and sarcastic conversation. I thought the two characters were great, and I wouldn’t mind reading a full-length novel about these two.

Overall, I thought this was a great anthology. The stories are all different, and yet they all present the idea that love is out there for everyone, even if it takes a little longer to find that special someone. All of the included stories were great, and they all stood out for me in one way or another. I highly recommend this anthology.

Reviewed by Charlotte Cowie
Posted June 20, 2010

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Paranormal Reviews

“Ms. Nutt does it again with another heartfelt story”

The Tuatha De Dannon had touched her, making her the warrior goddess Scáthach. She trains only worthy men on the magical Isle of Mist. She guides souls slain in battle to their death journey. Scáthach heard a plea from a young man, calling out to her. Answering that call, what she finds is not a battle field, but a hospital room. The plea was from a young boy sitting beside a hospital bed with his uncle in it. In that bed was a strong looking man, hooked up to wires and tubes. Giving Trey Brennan a choice, she will teach Trey to be a warrior and all that she asks in return is that he fight to live. For all warriors must have something to fight and live for.

The last thing Trey Brennan remembers is being in a hospital on his deathbed. When he awakens it is to a beautiful woman who offers to train him to become a warrior. All he has to do is defeat the enemy in the Isle of Skye and then he will go back home a Warrior! Thus begins his teachings of learning things the hard way. When his battle begins, will all of Trey’s hard work and training pay off with the promise of his life?

I am a huge fan of Karen Michelle Nutt! She can take an ordinary idea and turn it into a heartfelt lesson that makes you think. Heart of a Warrior is a quick read full of two very real characters who are both fighting for something. Trey is struggling to survive and Scáthach is teaching him to live. If you are looking for quality storytelling I promise you, you will never go wrong with a Karen Michelle Nutt story!

Reviewed by Missy Brown

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I’m guest blogging at Alice Audrey’s blog today. Find out why I picked Scáthach for my tale, Heart of a Warrior.

Behind the Scenes of a Goddess
Alice Audrey’s Blog

For my story, Heart of the Warrior, I wanted a goddess who was both strong and passionate. Find out her back story.

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